dawson



No. 6|5,8|4. Patented Dec. I3, i898.

' A. T. DAWSUN G. T. BUCKHAM.

ELECTRIC FIRlNG DEVICE FOR ORDNANCE.

(Applicatio'n med may 1e, 189s.)

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet l.

y Patented Dec. I3, i898. A. T. DAWSON & G. T. BUCKHAM.

ELECTRIC FIRING DEVISE FDR URDNANGE.

CND Model.)

(Application med may 16, i898.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

Illl

Wir/Leases vPacen'ued Dec. I3, |898. A. T. DAWSON G. T. BUCKHAM.

ELECTRIC FIHING DEVICE FOR URDNANCE.

(Application led May 16, 1898,)

`(No Model.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

mi, e5 7;; ven Cors Resi the load UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. l

ARTHUR TREVOR DAWSON AND GEORGE THOMAS BUCKHAM, OF LONDON, ENGLAND,ASSIGNORS TO THE VICKERS, SONS du MAXIM, LIMITED, OF

SHEEFIELD, ENGLAND,

. ELECTRIC FIRING DEVICE FORORDNANCE SPECIFICATION forming part ofLettere Patent No. 615,814, dated December 13, 189s.

' Application filed May 16. 189s. serieiNo. 630,832." oro modelo.

` Electric Firing Apparatus for Ordnance, (for which we have appliedfora patent in Great Britain, dated October 20, 1897, No. 24,26%)

of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to electric iring apparatus for ordnance, soarranged that firing is automatically prevented unless the gun isin`liring position and that electrical Contact for ring cannot takeplace accidentally. In order to prevent firing when the gun is not infiring position, we introduce -in the electric circuit a switch which iskept by a spring from completing the circuit when the gun -is in a rearposition, but which when the gun is run out to firing position is movedto a position so as to make contacts, closing the circuit in conditionto pass the firing-current. This current is transmitted from the sourceof electricity by the action ofa firing-switch which is in the form of apistol which can be held in the hand. In the case of the pistol there isa vloaded lever attached to the trigger and having 011 its unloaded arman insulated piece of conducting metal .which .is pressed by alspring-plunger cooperating with on the other arm from acontact-stu'd.-One of the conductingwires being connected to the spring-plunger and theother to the contact-stud, on pulling the trigger in opposition to theweight and spring the piece of metal is brought to bear on the stud,thus forminga conducting-bridge connectingthe plunger and stud, and thusclosing the electric circuit. y

In order that the construction and action of the apparatus may be moreclearly understood, we VshallA describe it in detail, referring Y to theaccompanying drawing Figure l is a vertical section, and Fig. 2 is ahorizontal section, of the firing-pistol. Fig. 3 is a vertical section,and-Fig. 4 is a horizontal section, of the switch, which is shown in itstwodierent positions in Figs. 5 and 6.

of the lever awayl A is the hollow pistol-case, in which is pivoted alever having a-heavy rear arm B, a trigger-arm B', and a third arm B2,on the under side of which is fixed, insulated, a plate of metal. One ofthe conductingewires Wis attached to a springurged plunger C, on whichrests the lever-arm B2. The other wire v W' is attached to a piece ofmetal C'.

C2 is ablock of insulating material in which the metallic piece C' isheld and in which the spring-plunger C is fitted to slide.

A bracket D', fixed on the cradle D, in which the gun slides, is madewith side re cesses, into which is slid the lcasing E of the switch,which is held in position by a springbolt E'. Within the casing isfitted t-o ,revolve a plug F, having two opposite segments made ofinsulating material and a hole through it also lined with insulatingmateriali Through this hole and the segments passes a rod, of metal, G,secured by nuts on its'ends. The plug F has an arm F', which terminatesin a projecting pin F2, and on the axis of the plug is a torsionalspring F3, which urges the plug against a stopto the position shown inFig. 6. The two conducting-wires W' and W2 are connected tospring-plungers, whichy bearagainst the plug F on opposite sides of it.R is the breech-ring of the gun, between which and the cradle D the pinF2 projects.

When the gun has recoiled, the breech-ring 8o R being at' some distancebehind the cradle D, as shown in Fig. 6,' the pin F2 being free, theswitch-plugF is urged by its spring to take the position in which theends of the rod G are not in contact with the spring-plungers; but whenthe gun is run out to ring' position, bringing its ring R nearly up tothe cradle, as shown in Fig. 5, then the pin F2 and arm F' are moved soas to turn the plug F 4into the position When the ends of the rod 9e Gare in contact with the spring-plungers, so that there is a conductingconnection of the Wire W" to the wire W2. When the parts are in thiscondition and the wire Wisin connection with a source of electricity,while the l wire W2 is in connection with the firing-fuse, the gun canbe red by pulling the trigger B',

thus bringing the plate on the arrnrB2 down y shown in Fig. v6, opening.thev circuit,.so that the gun cannot be fired electrically until the gunis again run up to firing position. When the trigger B' is let go, theheavy armfB and the spring-plunger C-cause -the plate on the arm B2 toleave thepiece C', thusopening the f circuit until the trigger is.pulled again.

Having thus-described .the nature of this invention and the best meanswe know for carrying the same into practical eect, We claim- Electricalfiring' apparatus for ordnance consisting of-a wire connecting a sourceof electricity to a sprng+plunger, a trigger-levver having an annadapted-to form a conducting-bridge to a pieceof metal, a wire .asdescribed. d

connecting this piece of metal to a switch on the gun-cradle this switchbeing provided with a springvand lever arm havinga pin in the path ofthe breech-ring of the gun, and a wire connecting the` switch to thefiringfuse, arranged and operatingsubstantially In testimony whereof We;have hereunto set our hands in presence oftwo subscribing wit# 'nesses AARTHUR TREVOR DAWSON.

GEORGE THOMAS BUCKHAM.

Witnesses to the signature of Arth rxr-Trevor Dawson: N

GEO. W. REA, F. B. KEEFER.

Witnesses to -the signature of .George Thomas Buckham:

FRED C. HARRIS, JNO. P. M. MILLARD.-

